COLCHESTER Theatre Group’s latest play will get a special preview on Wednesday – to raise money for St Helena Hospice.

Aptly, Colder Than Here, by Laura Wade, tells the story of terminally-ill Myra, who is busily organising her own funeral while her family comes to terms with her imminent death.

Confronting the great taboo subject of modern society – the inevitability of death – in a humourous way, the play earned its writer the Critics’ Circle Award for the most promising playwright in 2005.

Her latest play, Posh, is currently playing to packed houses in London’s West End. In the run-up to this week’s run of Colder Than Here, the cast has been rehearsing in an unusual but appropriate venue, Oakfield Wood, Wrabness, which is woodland of remembrance, created as a living memorial to people who have died.

Director Lorraine Dunt said the lives of everyone in the cast had been touched by cancer at one time or another.

For this reason, they had decided to hold a preview night with the audience being asked for donations for the Colchester hospice.

She added: “This is a disease which has become close to everybody, so we felt we ought to recognise that by giving something to the excellent organisation which looks after people suffering from terminal illness.”

The preview is on Wednesday at the Headgate Theatre, in Chapel Street North, Colchester, at 7.45pm. Theatregoers are asked to donate at least £6 for their tickets.

The play’s normal run starts on Thursday and it can been seen nightly at 7.45pm until Saturday.

Tickets are £8 (£6 for concessions) and are available from the Headgate Theatre box office, on 01206 366000.